Immunohistochemical analysis of EGFR and hyaluronan in tongue cancer and the development of regional recurrence in patients initially diagnosed N0.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the extent of expression of hyaluronan (HA) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in squamous cell carcinoma of the mobile tongue can predict the risk of cervical metastasis and survival.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective histopathologic study.

METHODS: Surgical specimens from 64 patients who had undergone surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the mobile tongue were assessed using immunohistochemistry to investigate the expression of HA and EGFR in the primary tumours, and the data were then correlated to cervical metastasis and survival.

RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between the intensity of HA staining and patient survival (p .024), and a weak correlation between the staining proportion of EGFR and the risk for regional recurrence (AUC 66).

CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that immunoscoring using HA could be used to provide prognostic tools for tongue cancer, and that it might be of interest to study the prognostic properties of EGFR further concerning the risk for regional recurrence after the primary treatment.